About the Department
For more than 100 years, Novo Nordisk has been tackling the unmet medical needs of people living with serious chronic diseases, such as diabetes & obesity. Being part of Novo Nordisk allows our employees to embark on the opportunity to help improve the quality of life for millions of people around the world.
Our new Petersburg, Virginia site marks a strategic move to advance our capabilities within Chemical API development and production. The highly experienced site is designed to strengthen and accelerate our Small Molecule (SMOL) strategy while amplifying our operational capacity. This is to safeguard and support SMOL projects and API production in the coming years, aligning with our vision and strengthening our potential for growth and innovation.
What we offer you:
At Novo Nordisk, you will find opportunities, resources, and mentorship to help grow and build your career. Are you ready to realize your potential? Join Team Novo Nordisk and help us make what matters.
The Position
We are currently hiring for multiple Technicians at our Petersburg, VA location. The primary purpose of this role is to operate API manufacturing equipment to achieve production goals. We are open to hiring at the Technician III level commensurate with experience. Please note this role will start as a M-Thursday day shift working 4x10 hour schedule; This is a shift position that will transition to 2-2-3 rotating shift schedule as the site moves into operations in early 2027. The current hours are 0600 to 1630 with flexibility required dependent upon the needs of the company and project demands.
Relationships
Reports to one of the Managers, Operations at the site.
Essential Functions
Role model for working in a safe and environmentally responsible manner
Maintain chemical inventories
Follow instructions listed in GMP documentation & product quality and provide suggestions for improvements as needed
Review SOP's, Job Instructions (JIs) & other documents, as required
Real-time review of batch records ensuring compliance to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) & current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) standards
Manage individual training plan with assistance of API Operastions Area Lead and Shift Supervisor
Execute qualification documents such as IQ, OQ, PQ documentation in addition to other validation activities with assistance of more senior technicians
Independent handling of:
Bulk and drummed flammable solvents
Drummed highly hazardous acids and bases
Sensitizing agents, peptides, small molecule API's and intermediates
Ability to operate while using advanced personal protective equipment (PPE) including but not limited to air hoods, full face respirators, cartride respirators, and chemical suits
Clean, assemble and dismantle processing equipment
Setup, operate, monitor, & control highly automated processes & systems
Troubleshoot during equipment maintenance, including restoration of lost function, predictive & preventive maintenance
Participate in deviation investigations
Load & unload product from trucks, tankers & ISO containers, as required
Execute production schedule to achieve production goals
Maintain clean room areas & perform environmental monitoring, as required
Assist with training and onboarding new employees
Perform Lock Out Tag Out (LOTO) activities in accordance with safety procedures with assistance of more senior technicians
Follow all safety & environmental requirements in the performance of duties
Other accountabilities as assigned
Physical Requirements
Moves equipment &/or supplies weighing up to 33 pounds within the facility using various body positions. Routinely operates & inspects manufacturing equipment using hands. Strap & unstrap pallets using hands. Must be able to be on your feet for up to a 12-hour shift. May require corrected vision to 20/20 or 20/25 based on role. May require color vision based on role. Occasionally ascends/descends a ladder. May be required to work at elevated heights. Work around odorous &/or hazardous materials. Must have a high consciousness for personnel and equipment safety. Required to utilize a variety of personnel protective equipment. May perform critical job functions in extremely cold work environments depending on site. May position oneself within confined spaces for inspection if required of the role. Ability to work in loud noise environments with hearing protection. May be required to secure a motorized vehicle license & operate a motorized vehicle based on the role.
Qualifications
High School diploma or GED and a minimum of three (3) years of manufacturing experience required in a chemical manufacturing environment required, preferably in the pharmaceutical industry
In lieu of a High School diploma and three (3) years of experience, may consider an Associate's Degree in Engineering Technology or a Science-related field from an accredited college or university with a minimum of one (1) year of manufacturing experience in a chemical manufacturing environment required, preferably in a pharmaceutical manufacturing environment
Experience following SOPs to perform tasks & raising issues if errors are found required
Experience following established safety guidelines when performing tasks required
Experience demonstrating a systematic approach to problem solving & troubleshooting based on data & facts to include actively participating in event response activities, documenting problems & ensuring rapid resolution & preventing recurrence required
Computer literacy including, but not limited to the ability to operate computer driven manufacturing/production equipment & efficient use of Microsoft Office suite programs required
Ability to read & understand complicated product documentation & standard operating procedures with attention to detail required
Ability to write technical product documents required
Ability to operate while using advanced personal protective equipment including but not limited to air hoods, full face respirators, cartridge respirators, and chemical suits with oversight from more senior technicians required
Experience in and ability to ensure compliance with corporate/local SOPs, regulations & ISO standards required
General knowledge in current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) manufacturing & production processes associated with pharmaceutical companies preferred
Basic knowledge of biology/chemistry required
Advanced mechanical aptitude required
Mechanical aptitude, ability to follow use tools to perform tasks, basic troubleshooting of mechanical components & systems required
Other preferred skills and experience:
API experience
Experience with operation, troubleshooting, & training less experienced personnel in large scale reactor unit operations including but not limited to, pressure and vacuum inertions, distillations, refluxing of solvents, separation of bi-phasic systems and pH adjustments using acids and bases. In addition, experience with filtration of products using various types of filtration equipment, centrifugation of materials, chromatography, and drying of materials under heat and vacuum
Ability to perform basic material handling tasks & safely & effectively use material handling equipment preferred
Experience with Process Safety Management (PSM) systems. Ability to identify safety concerns & improvement
Experience with chemical handling, chemical reactions, centrifugation and packaging of bulk materials fermentation, centrifugation, chromatography, buffer/media prep
Experience working with work permits/Lock Out Tag Out (LOTO) systems. Experience leading LOTO activities & training less experienced staff preferred
Experience with Delta V PCS/MES/SAP, general automation software preferred
Experience with DeltaV and general automation software. Experience with general troubleshooting of these systems & working with support groups to resolve issues preferred
We commit to an inclusive recruitment process and equality of opportunity for all our job applicants.
At Novo Nordisk, were not chasing quick fixes - were creating lasting change for long-term health. For over 100 years, weve been driven by a single purpose: to defeat serious chronic diseases and help millions of people live healthier lives. This dedication fuels our constant curiosity and inspires us to push the boundaries of whats possible in healthcare. We embrace diverse perspectives, seek out bold ideas, and build partnerships rooted in shared purpose. Together, were making healthcare more accessible, treating and defeating diseases, and pioneering solutions that create change spanning generations. When you join us, you become part of something bigger - a legacy of impact that reaches far beyond today.
Novo Nordisk is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by local, state or federal laws, rules or regulations.
If you are interested in applying to Novo Nordisk and need special assistance or an accommodation to apply, please call us at 1-855-411-5290. This contact is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.
Starting a career at Novo Nordisk is more than getting a job. It is an opportunity to improve the lives of millions of people living with a serious chronic disease.
Whether you are a part of supplying insulin for patients around the world, discovering the next breakthrough at one of our state-of-the-art research centres, working with us is truly life-changing.
We are a proud life-science company on a mission to ensure that people living with a chronic disease can live a full life. Millions rely on us.
We’re inspired by life in all its forms and shapes, ups and downs, opportunities and challenges. From our colleagues in the lab, working to change lives through pioneering break-through treatments, to our colleagues putting sustainability at the core of our processes and working to prolong the life of our planet, this mission to improve lives is at the core of our every action.
Change is a constant — change in lifestyle, change in technology, change all over. At Novo Nordisk, we don’t wait for change. We drive it.
We’re a dynamic company in an even more dynamic industry, and we know that what got us to where we are today is not necessarily what will make us successful in the future.
That’s why we continuously push to improve the way we work and the lives of the patients we serve, creating innovative solutions that fit the way people want to live. To accomplish this, we embrace a spirit of open-mindedness and experimentation, striving for excellence without fixating on perfection.
Our company is our people. We know that life is anything but linear and balancing what is important at different stages of our career is never easy. That’s why we make room for diverse life situations, always putting people first. We want to ensure that every employee can achieve a work-life balance that supports their current priorities and where they want to go next.
We value our employees for the unique skills, backgrounds and perspectives they bring to the table. We work continuously to help bring out the best in all of our people, offering opportunities for development and creating an environment of mobility within the company. We strive to offer a workplace that’s great to be in and to be from.
It is very important to us that anyone working with us feels empowered as an employee and as a person. We all should have the opportunity to act fast, make decisions and be agile.
With a career at our company, you will feel a difference right from the start. A sense of inspiration that comes from a shared belief in driving positive change for people, families and communities everywhere, and it’s a collective effort. We rely on the joint potential and collaboration of our more than 45,000 employees.
In the video above, meet Marie Darting, one of our scientists, and hear more about her work as a formulation scientist, her perspective on development plans and the impact she feels her work has on people living with a chronic disease.
We were founded in 1923 and today we are a global healthcare company headquartered just outside Copenhagen, Denmark.
Our purpose is to drive change to defeat diabetes and other serious chronic diseases, such as obesity and rare blood and endocrine disorders. We do so by pioneering scientific breakthroughs, expanding access to our medicines , and working to prevent and ultimately cure diabetes.
With almost 100 years of experience, one of the broadest diabetes product portfolios in the healthcare industry, as well as an award-winning pipeline of innovative products, our success is built on our company values – the Novo Nordisk Way.